Boot strap propulsion system

Abstract

A bootstrap propulsion system is provided including a housing with a pair of elliptical track assemblies situated side-by-side within the housing and further positioned in a common plane. A moving mass assembly is situated on each of the track assemblies. The moving mass assemblies are each adapted to move around the associated track assembly such that an instantaneous position thereof on the associated track assembly is a mirror image of that of the other moving mass assembly within the same compartment of the housing. In order reduce the weight of the overall system, movement of the moving mass assemblies is effected by way of a linear motor.

I claim: 
     
       1. A bootstrap propulsion system comprising, in combination: a housing having a top face, a bottom face, and a periphery formed therebetween defining an interior space, the housing having a plurality of compartments located at distinct levels within the interior space thereof;   a pair of elliptical track assemblies situated side-by-side within each compartment of the housing and further positioned in a common plane in parallel with the top and bottom faces, each track assembly comprising: an elliptical bottom face with an interior lip integrally coupled to an interior periphery of the bottom face and extending upwardly therefrom and an exterior lip integrally coupled to an exterior periphery of the bottom face and extending upwardly therefrom,   a plurality of interior equally spaced track supports integrally coupled to the interior lip and extending inwardly therefrom and a plurality of exterior spaced track supports integrally coupled to the exterior lip and extending inwardly therefrom,   a pair of parallel elliptical tracks each having a circular cross-section, the elliptical tracks including an interior track coupled to the interior spaced track supports and an exterior track coupled to the exterior spaced track supports,   a first conductor having an elliptical configuration and a rectilinear cross-section, the first conductor coupled to a central extent of the bottom face of the track, and   a second conductor situated about an entire outer surface of the interior lip;     a moving mass assembly situated on each of the track assemblies, the moving mass assemblies of a common compartment adapted to move around the track assemblies such that an instantaneous position thereof on the associated track assembly is a mirror image of that of the other moving mass assembly within the same compartment of the housing, the moving mass assemblies further adapted to move around the track assemblies such that the instantaneous position thereof is offset from the coincident position of at least one of the moving mass assemblies within a different compartment of the housing, each moving mass assembly comprising: an inverted U-shaped bracket having a top face and a pair of side faces defining an open bottom face and a pair of open ends,   two pairs of rollers rotatable coupled to the side faces of the bracket about a horizontal axis, each pair of rollers adapted to be slidably coupled to an associated one of the tracks of the track assembly whereby the bracket encompasses the first conductor of the associated track assembly and the bracket is adapted to slide around the associated track assembly,   brush contacts including an L-shaped arm having a horizontal extent coupled to an interior side face of the bracket and a vertical extent depending from the horizontal extent with a plurality of brushes situated thereon in electrical communication with the second conductor of the associated track assembly,   a speed detector including a laser transmitter situated on a linear arm coupled to the interior side face of the bracket below the horizontal extent of the L-shaped arm and adapted to continuously transmit a laser directly upwards, the speed detector further having a laser receiver situated on the horizontal extent of the L-shaped arm directly above the laser transmitter, the laser transmitter adapted to transmit a signal upon the lack of receipt of the laser from the laser transmitter as in the case wherein the bracket passes one of the equally spaced interior track supports,   a linear stator having an inverted U-shaped configuration and situated within the interior space of the bracket adjacent the open bottom face thereof and situated on opposite sides of the first conductor of the associated track assembly, the linear stator adapted to effect the movement thereof along the associated track assembly with a speed that is a function of a frequency of an alternating current received, and   an inverter situated within an interior space of the bracket and connected between the brush contacts and the linear stator for providing alternating current thereto at a predetermined frequency; and     a microprocessor connected between a photo-electric power source and the conductors and inverters, the microprocessor adapted to selectively govern the predetermined frequency and the current afforded to the inverter first conductor and linear stator, whereby the microprocessor is connected to the laser receivers for utilizing the signals transmitted therefrom as feed back.   
     
     
       2. A bootstrap propulsion system comprising: a housing having a plurality of compartments located at distinct levels within the interior space thereof;   a pair of elliptical track assemblies situated side-by-side within each compartment of the housing and further positioned in a common plane;   a moving mass assembly situated on each of the track assemblies, the moving mass assemblies of a common compartment adapted to move around the track assemblies such that an instantaneous position thereof on the associated track assembly is a mirror image of that of the other moving mass assembly within the same compartment of the housing, the moving mass assemblies further adapted to move around the track assemblies such that the instantaneous position thereof is offset from the coincident position of at least one of the moving mass assemblies within a different compartment of the housing.   
     
     
       3. A bootstrap propulsion system as set forth in claim 2 and further including a speed detector adapted to monitor the speed of each moving mass assembly. 
     
     
       4. A bootstrap propulsion system as set forth in claim 2 wherein movement of the moving mass assemblies is effected by way of a linear motor. 
     
     
       5. A bootstrap propulsion system as set forth in claim 2 wherein the moving mass assemblies are powered by solar power. 
     
     
       6. A bootstrap propulsion system comprising: a housing;   a pair of elliptical track assemblies situated side-by-side within the housing and further positioned in a common plane;   a moving mass assembly situated on each of the track assemblies, the moving mass assemblies adapted to move around the track assemblies such that an instantaneous position thereof on the associated track assembly is a mirror image of that of the other moving mass assembly within the same compartment of the housing;   wherein movement of the moving mass assemblies is effected by way of a linear motor.